Clothes-line tightener.



J. F. FITZ SIMMONS.

CLOTHES LINE TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25.19I7.

1,261,505. Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

TENT QFFICE.

JAY F. FITZ SIMMONS, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CLOTHES-LINE TIGIITENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AY F. Frrz SIMMONS a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Ti hteners, of which the following is a speci cation.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient means for tightening a clothes line without the necessity of loosening the ends of the line or the use of clothes poles or stakes.

A further object is to provide a tightener of simple construction and one which can be easily made and operated.

The invention consists generally in various constructions nd combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 isa View of a portion of a clothes line with my improved tightener thereon,

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the tightener in the reverse position from that shown in Fig. 1, also showing the first step of winding the clothes line thereon.

' Fig. 3 is a view, showing the clothes line wound on the tightener for locking it against accidental or premature unwinding.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. l, I

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified construction.

In the drawing, 2 represents an ordinary clothes line. Usually to tighten the line after the clothes have been hung thereon or before, if preferred, the line is loosened at one end and drawn up, or a clothes line pole, or several of them, are placed under the line at intervals. All this adds to the labor of hanging out the clothes and the time required for the work. To obviate this difiiculty, I provide a tightener formed preferably of a wire of comparatively heavy gage, provided with a shank 3 bent outwardly to form a portion 4 extending at right angles substantially to the shank and then bent to form a part 5 parallel with the shank, and then curved outwardly and backwardly upon itself to form an elongated loop 6 which terminates on its inner side in a straight portion 7 in line with the part 5 and parallel with the shank. From thence the loop is bent inwardly to form a part 8 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Application filed April 25, 1917. Serial No. 164,576.

parallel with the part 4 and spaced therefrom and the part 8 has an end portion 9 which is bent into line with the shank 3 and olfset therefrom, a gap 10 being formed between the end 9 and the shank 3 into which the line is inserted. The loop 6, the shank and the end 9 serve as heads, while the parts 4 and 8 form a reel on which the line is wound as the device is revolved. The line will be wrapped around the parts 4 and 8 until it is drawn as taut as may be desired and the clothes raised so that there will be no danger of their coming in contact with the ground. When this has been done, the line is engaged with a loop 11 formed between the shank 3 and a handle 12 which projects outwardly at right angles thereto. By inserting the line into this loop, the tightener will be held securely and it will be impossible for it to become loosened until such time as the operator grasps the handle and detaches the loop from the line. Whenever desired, an additional turn may be given to the tightener to take up any slack there may be in the line.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification which consists in making a tightener of a suitable casing having a shank 13 and handle 14 at one end, with a part 15 for engaging the line, and pins 16 formed on the shank and projecting outwardly therefrom at right angles and terminating in oppositely turned ends 17, a space 18 being provided between the pins to allow the insertion of the line therein preparatory to winding it around the pins.

The manner of tightening the line with this device is substantially the same as described with reference to the wire form of tightener. The wire may be of any suitable gage and in various ways the details of construction herein shown and described may be modified and still be within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clothes line tightener comprising a part to straddle the line and form a reel on which the line is wound, said reel having a head on one end for holding the line in place, and a winding crank on the opposite end of said reel.

2. A clothes line tightener comprisin a shank having one end bent to form a handle, the other end of said shank being outwardly turned to form one member of a winding reel and then bent to form a loop on the opposite side of saidreel from said shank, the end of said loop being bent in substantially parallel relation with the said described member of said Winding reel and terminating in an end portion adjacent to said shank and adapted to be sprung away from said shank to allow the insertion of the line between them and between the members of said Winding reel.

3. A clothes line tightener comprising a shank having a handle at one end and a part formed on 1ts opposite end around which the line to be tightened 1S Wound, sald part comprising members spaced apart, one of said I members havlng a spring end portion ad]a- 15 $091128 of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 63. 

